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Borscht Recipe with Meat
5 from 405 votes

Borscht Recipe with Meat

Borscht Recipe with Meat combines tender beef, earthy beets, and a medley of vegetables simmered in a flavorful broth. The beef is simmered to develop a rich base while beets are sautéed with vinegar and tomato for a balanced tangy-sweet component. The addition of cabbage, potato, carrot, and tomato results in a hearty, vibrant soup with layers of texture and flavor. This recipe is suitable for those seeking a traditional soup incorporating meat and vegetables with a slightly tangy broth.

Prep Time
30 mins
Cook Time
1 hr 30 mins
Total Time
2 hrs
Servings: 8 -10
Course: Soup
Cuisine: Russian, Ukrainian

Ingredients

  • 1 lb sirloin beef stew meat, or whatever kind of beef you like, really (bone-in or boneless *see note
  • 14 cups water cold
  • 1 Tbsp salt plus more to taste
  • 2 beet washed, peeled and grated, large or 3 medium
  • 4 Tbsp olive oil
  • 1 Tbsp vinegar
  • 1 Tbsp sugar
  • 2 Tbsp tomato sauce or paste (or 3 Tbsp ketchup)
  • 1 Tbsp butter unsalted
  • 1 onion finely diced, medium
  • 2 carrot grated
  • 2 potato peeled and sliced into bite-sized pieces, large or 3 medium
  • 1/2 cabbage sliced, head of small
  • 2 tomato peeled and diced (**see note
  • 2 bay leaf
  • 1/4 tsp black pepper freshly ground
  • 1/4 cup parsley chopped fresh + more for garnish
  • 2 cloves garlic pressed
  • sour cream for garnish
  • parsley
  • dill

Instructions

    Cup of Yum
  1. Wash meat in cold water, cut into 1" pieces and place in a large soup pot with 14 cups cold water and 1 Tbsp salt. Bring it to a boil and remove the foam as soon as it boils (if you wait, it will be hard to get rid of foam as it integrates into the broth and you'd have to strain it later). Reduce heat, partially cover and simmer 45 minutes - 1 hr, periodically skimming off any foam that rises to the top.
  2. Grate beets on the large grater holes (a food processor works amazingly well). Place them in a large heavy-bottom skillet with 4 Tbsp olive oil and 1 Tbsp vinegar and saute for 5 minutes, then reduce heat to med/low and add 1 Tbsp sugar and 2 Tbsp tomato sauce Mix thoroughly and saute until starting to soften, stirring occasionally (about 10 min). Remove from pan and set aside.
  3. In the same skillet (no need to wash it), Saute onion in 1 Tbsp butter for 2 min. Add grated carrot and sautee another 5 min or until softened, adding more oil if it seems too dry.
  4. Once the meat has been cooking at least 45 min, place sliced potatoes into
  5. the soup pot and cook 10 min, then add cabbage, sauteed beets, onion & carrot, and chopped tomatoes. Cook another 10 minutes or until potatoes can be easily pierced with a fork.
  6. Add 2 bay leaves, 1/4 tsp pepper, and more salt to taste (I added another 1/2 tsp salt).
  7. Chop parsley and pressed garlic then stir them into the soup pot, immediately cover and remove from heat. Let the pot rest covered for 20 minutes for the flavors to meld.

Notes

  • Pork may be used as a substitute for beef in this recipe.
  • If meat includes bones, cook whole then remove bones before cutting the meat into cubes.
  • To easily peel tomatoes, blanch them in boiling water for 30-45 seconds and then cool quickly in cold water before removing skins.